The Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model: a follow-up study

The Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model was successful in achieving some but not all of its aims.

This study examines whether domestic violence police and court outcomes have changed since the commencement of the Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model (DVICM).

Method: Logistic and Poisson regression models were used to determine whether the DVICM resulted in the following: an increase in the proportion of persons of interest charged with a domestic violence offence; an increase in the proportion of domestic violence matters finalised on a plea of guilty; a decrease in the proportion of matters finalised on a dismissal; an increase in the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision; an increase in the proportion of penalties of imprisonment; a decrease in the time from first court appearance to finalisation in court; an increase in the proportion of matters finalised with a plea of guilty within three weeks of first court appearance; and an increase in the proportion of matters finalised within 12 weeks of the police event date. The test sites were Campbelltown, Macquarie Fields, and Wagga Wagga Local Area Commands. The rest of NSW was used as the control group.

Results: The DVICM increased the proportion of persons of interest charged in Macquarie Fields but not in Campbelltown or Wagga Wagga Local Area Commands. It reduced the time taken to finalise domestic violence matters in Campbelltown and Wagga Wagga Local Courts. The DVICM did not affect the proportion of matters finalised on a plea of guilty; the proportion of matters finalised on a dismissal; the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision; nor the proportion of penalties of imprisonment.

Conclusion: The DVICM was successful in achieving some but not all of its aims.

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